Shuttle XPC SZ170R8 V2: Small but Powerful

Compact, efficient and incredibly powerful if you spring for the right parts, the Shuttle XPS SZ170R8 V2 has a lot going for it. The small form factor of the motherboard does not take away from its power. Even better is its capability as a portable machine.

SGCafe.com

The live-action adaptation project for Ritz Kobayashi’s Mahjong manga is in full swing, and we are getting two new trailer s, which gives us new details on the project’s upcoming live-action film. The first video is the 60-second version, while the second video is the shorter 30-second version. According to the videos, the film is slated...

Continuing with their efforts to distance themselves from, and reduce their dependency on Samsung, Apple signs massive chip manufacturing deal with TSMC for next-generation, 20nm chips.

The WSJ reports that Apple has signed a chip manufacturing deal with TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.) to build chips for Apple’s future mobile devices. According to the agreement, TSMC will partially take over chip production for Apple in 2014, while Samsung will continue to supply a majority of the chips, until the end of 2014.

By the end of 2014, Apple hopes to have made them a little less reliant, and a little more distant from rivals Samsung. Of course, this is only a natural move that we saw coming, considering that Apple’s lawyers spend 90% of their time trying to sue Samsung for one patent infringement or another. This puts Apple in a dangerous position if anything were to “happen” to their chip supply, essentially crippling the production of all Apple devices (kaput).

The Cupertino has already freed itself off buying display panels from Samsung, with the company reportedly deploying Sharp’s IGZO in future devices. According to the WSJ report, talks between Apple and TSMC go as far back as 2010. Up until now, the deal wasn’t struck because TSMC had refused to reserve a factory dedicated to manufacturing chips solely for Apple. Our only concerns are that with TSMC now having signed up with Apple, will companies like AMD and Nvidia, who massively depend on TSMC for their graphics chips, face a crunch when they too release their next-generation hardware based on the 20nm manufacturing process? We sure hope not.